On Monday night, we started getting answered. Heading into the game, Sammy Morris supposedly was the starting running back. In typical Bill Belichick fashion, Morris didn’t even get a carry. Instead, he spent most of his time at full back.

Laurence Maroney, who was listed fourth on the depth chart, ended up getting the most carries. On his ten carries, he totaled 32 yards. He also caught two passes for nine years.

Fred Taylor also saw some touches — finishing with 25 yards on nine carries. Kevin Faulk, as expected, was in the mix. The longtime Patriots RB had three carries for seven yards and six catches for 51 yards.

Overall, it appears as if Maroney is the most valuable of the Patriots running backs. Taylor and Faulk will get touches but Maroney has the most potential and appears to be the short yardage back. If you want to take a risk with one of the RBs on New England, roll the dice on Maroney having a decent season.

Laurence Maroney - New England Patriots (Image: Zuma Press)

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Taylor was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier in the month and is free to sign with any team. In addition to the Bills, the New England Patriots and New York Jets are said to have interest. Although Taylor would like a starting job, there’s only a slight possibility that he can land such a job.

The Bills interest in Taylor might not be a good sign for Lynch. The teams starting running back the last two seasons, Marshawn Lynch was arrested earlier in the offseason and faces a likely suspension. If Buffalo doesn’t think Lynch is worth the trouble, they may even consider releasing or trading him.

Overall, this news does little to raise the fantasy value of Taylor. At the very most, Taylor could be a useful handcuff for the 2009 fantasy football season. This news does slightly lower the value of Lynch because it shows that the Bills may be looking at other options.

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Going into 2008, Taylor’s stock was as high as it was in a few years. But after an underwhelming season, Taylor has been waived by the Jaguars. Taylor will likely sign on with another team and play a backup role.

However, the big news in this NFL transaction is the fantasy football status of Maurice Jones-Drew. In his first few years in the league, Jones-Drew has had to split carries with Taylor. Now Jones-Drew will get a chance to shine by himself.

At various times, Jones-Drew has appeared to be a fantasy football stud in the making. Although he’s somewhat inconsistent, the tiny dynamo is extremely explosive. He’s talented both as a runner and a receiver, plus he’s young enough to still be improving.

Heading into the 2009 fantasy football season, this move raises Maurice Jones-Drew’s fantasy stock. He’s now a player who you have to consider about drafting as soon as the end of the first round of 2009 fantasy drafts.

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RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars
Early in the game, Fred Taylor got shaken up and ended up missing most of the contest. Maurice Jones-Drew stepped in and filled in admirably, as he finished with 148 yards and two touchdowns. When given a healthy amount of touches, Jones-Drew is as deadly as any fantasy running back in the NFL.

WR Andre Johnson, Houston Texans
Andre Johnson is separating himself as one of the best wide receivers in the fantasy world. After a breakout game in Week 5, he backed that up with another great showing in Week 6. Johnson finished the game with 178 yards and a touchdown.

TE Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars
Even though Marcedes Lewis has had a very quiet season to date, many scouts continue to think he is a vastly talented tight end. He showed some of his potential in Week 6 with his 64 yards and a touchdown for the Jaguars.

K Jason Elam, Atlanta Falcons
When Jason Elam left the Denver Broncos for the Falcons, many fantasy football owners thought he’d be in for a tough 2008 campaign. However, Elam has been very good so far this year. In Week 6, he had five field goals including the game winner against the Chicago Bears.

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Fred Taylor, Jacksonville Jaguars
It seems like Fred Taylor is underrated every season. Expect that to hold true in 2008. While Maurice Jones-Drew gets all the publicity, Taylor is the workhorse on the team and is arguably the best player on the team.

Laurence Maroney, New England Patriots
Fantasy football owners will look at Laurence Maroney’s lukewarm 2007 campaign and won’t feel compelled to select him too early. But if you watched the Patriots closely, you would have realized how much more important he became later in the season. Expect that to carry over in 2008.

Willie Parker, Pittsburgh Steelers
Willie Parker has a lot of negative surrounding him right now. He’s coming off of a major injury. He had only two touchdowns in 2007. His backup, Najeh Davenport, played very well. Even with all that, Parker is an extremely solid running back prospect who should find the end zone more in 2008.

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WR Terrell Owens, Dallas Cowboys
Owens is considered a game-time decision after suffering a high ankle sprain late in the season. The good news is that Owens is historically a fast healer and most league pundits expect Owens to be on the field. If he is, Owens should have a good game against the Giants’ secondary. However, if he is forced to sit, the onus will fall on Patrick Crayton, Terry Glenn and Sam Hurd to pick up the slack at wide receiver.

RB Fred Taylor, Jacksonville Jaguars
Taylor missed time against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week with leg cramps. The cramps could be a sign that Taylor is starting to wear down after a very good campaign. Even if he’s not wearing down, the Jaguars may play it safe and give the rock to Maurice Jones-Drew more often than usual. Taylor is a very good player but Jones-Drew is arguably more explosive, which the Jaguars may need against the New England Patriots.

TE Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers
Gates suffered what is being reported as a dislocated big toe in last week’s game against the Tennessee Titans. Seeing as toe injuries tend to be especially painful for football players, expect Gates to be out of action for at least this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts. In fact, Gates is most likely finished unless the Chargers can get to the Super Bowl. Even then, a dislocated big toe is a difficult injury to recover from in a short amount of time.

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